Missions and Ministries
Whether it’s accomplished by traveling to Chicago, St. Louis or New Orleans, or is as “local” as donating items to our church’s own food pantry, aiding those who are in need is a key element of the work of the Federated Church of Charlton.
We’ve offered a breakdown below of the ways, both large and small, that our church responds to those who are in need. It only skims the surface of our members’ spirit of generosity that brings blessings to all involved.
Special Coffee Hour
Members of the Church school (at right) hosted a special coffee hour to raise money for their mission project: the InterFaith Hospitality Network which provides food and supplies for people in need.
Adult & Youth Mission Trips
The largest logistical undertakings each year at The Federated Church involve the recruiting, planning, fund-raising and execution of our pair of weeklong mission trips to do God’s work among those struggling with poverty, homelessness or the aftermath of natural or man-made disasters.
The church’s annual Adult Mission Trip takes place from late February into early March, and typically focuses on helping to reconstruct homes in recently devastated regions so those families may someday return. The Federated Church’s adult missionaries — who must be 21 years old to take part — can expect to spend weekdays hard at work on tasks such as painting, refinishing floors and other jobs to repair and refresh the chosen homes’ interiors and exteriors.
The first Adult Mission Trip took place in 2009, when a small crew journeyed to New Orleans to help victims of Hurricane Katrina rebuild. We’ve returned to the Big Easy a few times since; the recently completed 2018 trip aided the less-fortunate in nearby Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The summertime Youth Mission Trip is open to young church members who have completed seventh grade or higher, with parents and other adult chaperones also taking part.
The youth missionaries focus on aiding inner-city organizations that lift up the poor and struggling, and often includes serving at shelters. Planning is under way for the 2019 trip to Washington, D.C.
Day trips and outings to take in local museums, restaurants, sporting events and tourist spots are also part of each mission trip.
Both annual missionary groups are given a dedicated Sunday service to recount their respective trips’ highlights to the congregation, and to reflect on how a week spent selflessly helping “the least among us” has deepened their spirituality.
Good Works Done Locally
Although the adult and youth mission trips are annual highlights, it’s just as rewarding for Federated Church members to serve local folks and organizations in need.
Guiding those efforts are the Church School youths, led by Religious Education Director Deb Hollett. The Sunday Schoolers undertake seasonal fundraising drives to aid others — especially children. Their efforts range from fulfilling Christmas wishes for local kids through the Tri-Community YMCA-sponsored Giving Tree Project, to taking part in global causes that help save young lives abroad.
A special adult ministry has blossomed over the last few years with Worcester-based Dismas House, which is a transitional home for those leaving prison and re-entering society. Federated Church volunteers prepare and deliver hot dinner meals, then dine and share fellowship with Dismas House clients.
Church members also minister to themselves with annual events like our fall Rake N’ Run, in which rake- and tarp-wielding crews clear autumn’s debris from several of our elderly congregants’ yards.
There are also many in-church campaigns for worthy charities such as Neighbors in Need, among others.
When disaster strikes close to home, Federated Church members are quick to respond. For example, a funding drive allowed us to offer much-appreciated financial aid to the First Church of Monson Congregational after it was greatly damaged by the deadly 2011 tornado that tore a path from Springfield to Charlton.
This is just a sampling of the day-to-day ministries undertaken by our members. Our church’s own Mission Statement notes their importance, declaring that “in our missions, we listen to hear where God is calling us to serve. At locations both near and far, we seek to embody the faith that God has placed within us.”